Reclosable composite package

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a package for foodstuffs and the like including a sealed, reclosable pouch or bag carried by a sealed parallelepiped carton structure. The carton is opened by the removal of a tear strip and is so configured that the tear strip removal forms a telescopically reclosable, lockable chest-type cover, i.e., a cover which is adapted to completely overlap and be securely &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;locked&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; to the side and front walls of the opened carton upon hinging movement about a horizontal axis in the carton rear wall.

United States Patent Cote [54] RECLOSABLE COMPOSITE PACKAGE [72]Inventor: Raymond A. Cote, Charlotte, NC.

[73] Assignee: Riegel Paper Corporation, New York,

[22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 104,730

[5 2] [1.8. CI ..229/51 TS, 229/51 TC [51 Int. Cl ..B65d 5/54 [58] FieldofSearch ..229/44 R, 51 TS, 51 TC, 51 D [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,318,508 5/1967 Buttery ..229/51 TC 3,486,682 12/1969Mahon et al ..229/51 TC 51 3,669,345 [451 June 13,1972

8/1970 Buttery ..229/51TC 9/1970 Johnson ..229/5l TS Primary Examiner-M.Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. Mar Attorney-Mandevilleand Schweitzer [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to a package forfoodstuffs and the like including a sealed, reclosable pouch or bagcarried by a sealed parallelepiped carton structure. The carton isopened by the removal of a tear strip and is so configured that the tearstrip removal forms a telescopically reclosable, lockable chest-typecover, i.e., a cover which is adapted to completely overlap and besecurely locked" to the side and front walls of the opened canon uponhinging movement about a horizontal axis in the carton rear wall.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUH 1 3 m2 3, 669,345

INVENTOR RAYMOND A. COTE ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Aplethora of bag-in-box" constructions, telescoping carton constructions,tear strip opening cartons and the like have been developed in thepackaging arts. The present invention is specifically directed to animprovement in a bag-in-box" construction whose overall size is reducedafter opening, partial dispensing of the packaged contents, andreclosing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The package of the invention includes a sealed,reclosable pouch of comestibles or a like product which is intended forconsumption over a period of time and, therefore, which requiresprotection on the shelf" after the initial opening of the pouch. To thatend, the pouch is, itself, disposed in a new reclosable, lockable,shrinkable" carton structure.

The new carton structure is formed in accordance with the principles ofthe invention, from a conventional parallelepiped, end-sealed carton,which has been modified by the inclusion of hinge lines in the rear wallspaced below the upper edge of the rear wall and by the inclusion ofspecially configured upper dust flaps and a specially configured tearstrip. The new tear strip extends completely across the free side wall(the wall which cooperates with the glue flap to form the manufacturer'sjoint), then completely across the front wall and then approximatelyhalfway across the other side wall. More specifically, the tear strip isgenerally defined by spaced upper and lower tear lines, the upper one ofwhich extends from the free edge side wall below the upper edge,thereof, obliquely upwardly to the upper front corner of the carton,then straight across the carton along the upper edge to the other upperfront corner, and then obliquely downwardly to approximately the centerof the other side wall panel. The lower tear line extends from the edgeof the free side wall completely thereacross and partially across thefront wall in the horizontal plane in which the aforementioned hingeline is disposed. The lower tear line then extends generally parallel tothe upper tear line (i.e., obliquely upwardly, straight across,obliquely downwardly) terminating in horizontal portion, colinear withthe initial portion, and extending approximately halfway across theother side wall. A vertical tear line'connects the upper and lower tearlines to define completely the special tear strip. Additionally, a hingeline extends across the front wall of the carton in the horizontal planeof the rear wall hinge line.

In accordance with the invention, removal of the aforementioned specialtear strip will form a chest-type, telescopically reclosable cover and areversibly foldable, trapezoidal locking element. Forward hinging of thelocking element and the cover will effectively reclose and lock thecarton through the cooperation of the trapezoidal locking element withthe upper dust flaps. In addition, reclosure of the carton will shortenits original length. As will be appreciated, the pouch itself may beshortened before reclosing by rolling, or otherwise folding its upperedges.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and itsattendant advantages, reference should be made to the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for acarton embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the top structure of acarton of the invention before opening;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the top structure of acarton of the invention after opening; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the top structure of acarton of the invention after reclosing, with portions removed toillustrate the new locking arrangement.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, apaperboard blank for the carton of the new bag-in-box package comprisesa free side wall panel 11, a front wall panel 12, a side wall panel 13,a rear wall panel 14, and a glue flap l5, consecutively articulatedalong parallel vertical score lines 16, 17, 18, 19, respectively.

Specially configures upper dust flaps 20, 21 are articulated to theupper edges of the side wall panels 11, 13 along upper horizontal scorelines 22, 23, while lower dust flaps 24, 25 are articulated to thebottom edges of said panels along score lines 26, 27, respectively, asshown. In accordance with the invention, the free edges 58 of the dustflaps 20, 21 are generally shaped to make them abuttable with thetapered ends of .the locking member 52, to be described hereinafter.Upper end flaps 28, 29 are articulated to the upper edges of the frontand rear wall panels 12, 14 along colinear lines of weakness 30, 31',

v respectively, while bottom end flaps 32, 33 are articulated to thebottom edges of the panels 12, 14 along colinear score lines 34, 35,respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. Line of weakness 31 is a scoreline'while line of weakness 30 if formed by a series of cuts definingpart of one edge of a tear strip 40, to be described more completelyhereinafter. With the exceptions of the shape of the free edges 58 ofthe upper dust flaps and the formation of the line of weakness 30 by aseries of cuts, the blank described thus far is similar to those widelyemployed in the art in the formation of end sealed cartons.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, a full, chest-type,reclosable cover is latently formed at the uppermost portions of thewall panels 11-14 and glue flap 15. To that end, a cover hinge line 36,defining a latent cover top wall 14a, is formed in the rear wall panel14, and a cover-forming specially configured tear strip 40 extends fullyacross the side wall 11, the front wall 12, and substantially halfwayacross the side wall 13. Specifically, the tear strip 40 is defined byan upper tear line 41 which extends from the free edge of the panel 11parallel to the score line 22 and then upwardly and obliquely to theupper corner of the front wall 12. From this point, the tear line 41 iscoincident with the upper edge 30 of the front wall panel 12 until itreaches the other upper corner thereof, at which point it extendsobliquely downwardly towards the center line of the side wall panel 13.A lower tear line 42 extends, as shown, from the upper edge of the sidewall panel 11 thereacross and into the front wall panel 12, at whichpoint it extends obliquely upwardly parallel to the upper score line 41,then generally across the front wall portion 12, before extendingobliquely downwardly parallel to the tear line 41 and finally extendingacross the score line 17 and into the side wall panel 13. A verticaltearline 43 connects the ends of the score lines 41, 42 to. complete thedefinition of the tear strip 40. Additionally, lines of weakness 37, 38,defined by short cuts, are formed in the glue flap 1S and in the sidewall panel 13, respectively. A score line 39 extends across the frontwall panel 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the lines 36-39 are all colinear.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the new carton maybe erected and filled with sealed pouches P on conventional packagingmachines. As will be understood, the completed carton 50 will have aconventional manufacturers joint formed by gluing the glue flap 15 tothe side wall 11, and sealed ends formed by adhering upper end flaps 28,32 to underlying end flaps 29, 33 after the upper and lower dust flapshave been infolded, by heat sealing or like established cartonmakingtechniques. Since the free end of the tear strip 40 is adhered to theglue flap portion 55, a carton opening is facilitated by partiallycutting the surface of the flap portion to define a delaminable, tearaway zone 55a thereon.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the sealedbag-in-box package 50 may be readily opened by removal of the tear strip40, which action, along with the severing of the tear lines 37, 38,forms a reclosable, chest-type cover 51 and a trapezoidal, wedge-shapedlocking panel 52. As shown best in FIG. 3, the reclosable cover 51 hasgenerally L-shaped cover side walls which include cover portions 53, 54which are derived from upper portions of the original side wall panels13, 1 1, respectively. In accordance with the invention, the portion 54is adhered to the uppermost portion 55 of the glue flap 15 in a mannerwhereby the combination of the portions 54, 55 forms a compound coverside wall element similar in shape to the one-piece L-shaped cover sidewall portion 53. As will be appreciated, both of the L-shaped cover sidewalls extend for the full carton width andcompletely close off the topof the carton, as shown in FIG. 4.

After removal of the tear strip, access to the packaged contents may behad by pivoting the newly formed cover backwardly about the hinge line36, an action which will sever tear lines 37, 38. The pouch P mayadvantageously be made of metal foil or a foil laminate and may readilybe opened and then reclosed by rolling or folding. Thereafter, inaccordance with the principles of the invention, the cover 51 of thecarton 50 may be reclosed and locked in a novel manner, which tightlycloses off the upper end of the carton while simultaneously shorteningthe length of the carton by an increment 'equal to the width of thecarton side walls ll, 13 (i.e., depth of the carton).

As shown best in FIG. 4, when the cover is hinged forwardly about thehinge line 36, that hinge line becomes the upper rear edge of ashortened carton 60. The L-shaped cover side walls, as well as the coverfront wall (the original top end of the carton comprising dust flaps 20,21 sandwiched between sealed end flaps 28, 29), all telescope theremaining uppermost carton edge portions, which are the raw edgeportions 42a (FIG. 3) defined by the tear strip removal and the scoreline 39.

In accordance with the principles of the invention, the reverse foldingof the wedge-shaped locking member 52 will enable its free edges 52a toabuttingly engage angular notches or recesses 61 defined by the freeedges 58 of the dust flaps to hold the chest-type cover 51 in its closedposition, as shown best in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the carton can again bereopened, if desired, by simple manipulation to clear the dust flaps 20,21 from'the angular notches 61 and the rearward pivoting of the coverabout the hinge line 36.

It should that the new carton construction herein illustrated anddescribed is intended to be representative only, as certain changes maybe made therein without departing from the clear teachings of thedisclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the followingappended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A parallelepiped carton structure having a rectangular bottom;consecutively articulated, upstanding first side, front, second side andrear walls; a glue flap connecting said first side and rear walls, and atop closing structure including a. upper end flaps articulated to theupper edges of said front and rear walls;

b. upper dust flaps articulated to the upper edges of said side walls;

0. said upper dust flaps having recessed, angular notchforming, frontcomer portions;

d. a cover hinge line spaced below the upper edge of the rear wall andextending across the rear wall;

e. a locking element in said front walland articulated along a hingeline in the front wall in the plane of said cover hinge line;

f. a horizontal tear line in said glue flap in the plane of said coverhinge line;

g. a tear strip extending completely across said first side wall andcompletely across said front wall and across said second side wall; 7

h. said tear strip being generally defined by spaced upper and lowertear lines;

i. the upper one of said tear lines extending from the free edge of saidfirst side wall below the upper edge thereof, obliquely upwardly to theupper front corner of the carton, then straight across the entire upperedge of the front wall and then obliquely downwardly to approximatelythe center of the second side wall panel; 1. the lower tear linedefining in part said locking element and extending from the edge of thefirst side .wall completely thereacross and partially across the frontwall in the horizontal plane of said cover hinge line and then extendinggenerally'parallel to the upper tear line and finally terminating in ahorizontal portion, colinear with the initial portion, extendingapproximately halfway across the second side wall; k. a vertical tearline connecting said upper and lower tear lines; I l. whereby theremoval of said tear strip exposes said locking element and forms atelescopically reclosable, lockable chest-type cover which is adapted tocompletely overlap and be securely locked to the upper raw edges of thesaid and front walls of the carton upon hinging movement of said coverabout said cover hinge line and the folding of said locking element. l2. The carton construction of claim 1, which further includes a.reclosable pouch means disposed within said walls. 3. The carton ofclaim I, further characterized in that a. said cover hinge line isspaced below the upper edge of said rear wall a distance equal to thedepth of said carton. 4. The carton of claim 1, in which a. said lockingelement is generally trapezoidal in shape; b. the angular notches ofsaid upper dust flaps are similar in shape to the oblique corners ofsaid trapezoidal locking element and are abuttable therewith to locktelescopically said cover to said front wall after tear strip removal,locking element folding, and carton cover reclosing.

* l =l v 1K

1. A parallelepiped carton structure having a rectangular bottom;consecutively articulated, upstanding first side, front, second side andrear walls; a glue flap connecting said first side and rear walls, and atop closing structure including a. upper end flaps articulated to theupper edges of said front and rear walls; b. upper dust flapsarticulated to the upper edges of said side walls; c. said upper dustflaps having recessed, angular notch-forming, front corner portions; d.a cover hinge line spaced below the upper edge of the rear wall andextending across the rear wall; e. a locking element in said front walland articulated along a hinge line in the front wall in the plane ofsaid cover hinge line; f. a horizontal tear line in said glue flap inthe plane of said cover hinge line; g. a tear strip extending completelyacross said first side wall and completely across said front wall andacross said second side wall; h. said tear strip being generally definedby spaced upper and lower tear lines; i. the upper one of said tearlines extending from the free edge of said first side wall below theupper edge thereof, obliquely upwardly to the upper front corner of thecarton, then straight across the entire upper edge of the front wall andthen obliquely downwardly to approximately the center of the second sidewall panel; j. the lower tear line defining in part said locking elementand extending from the edge of the first side wall completelythereacross and partially across the front wall in the horizontal planeof said cover hinge line and then extending generally parallel to theupper tear line and finally terminating in a horizontal portion,colinear with the initial portion, extending approximately halfwayacross the second side wall; k. a vertical tear line connecting saidupper and lower tear lines; l. whereby the removal of said tear stripexposes said locking element and forms a telescopically reclosable,lockable chesttype cover which is adapted to completely overlap and besecurely locked to the upper raw edges of the said and front walls ofthe carton upon hinging movement of said cover about said cover hingeline and the folding of said locking element.
 2. The carton constructionof claim 1, which further includes a. reclosable pouch means disposedwithin said walls.
 3. The carton of claim 1, further characterized inthat a. said cover hinge line is spaced below the upper edge of saidrear wall a distance equal to the depth of said carton.
 4. The carton ofclaim 1, in which a. said locking element is generally trapezoidal inshape; b. the angular notches of said upper dust flaps are similar inshape to the oblique corners of said trapezoidal locking element and areabuttable therewith to lock telescopically said cover to said front wallafter tear strip removal, locking element folding, and carton coverreclosing.